Press Conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lulzim Basha, at the conclusion of his official visit in Portugal.

Press Conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lulzim Basha, at the conclusion of his official visit in Portugal.

On June 12, 2007, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lulzim Basha, held an official visit in Portugal. Minister Basha was received by the Portugal Foreign minister Mr. Luís Filipe Marques Amado, and held a meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission of Portuguese Assembly Mr. z. José Luís Arnaut.

The main issues Minister Basha talked with his Portuguese counterpart were the proceeding of bilateral relations and their further development, EU and NATO integration of Albania, the developments in the region, focused on Kosovo issue.

The two Ministers praised the present relations between the two countries and expressed their readiness for their further development in the future. For this reason, Minister Basha asked his counterpart to consider the possibility of opening the Portuguese Embassy in Tirana, suggested the exchange of visits of senior officials of both countries and invited the Portuguese businesses to invest in Albania. In this context, the two Ministers, shared the same opinion for the progress of the Albanian government towards the implementation of domestic reforms, progress in the fight against corruption and organized crime, the importance of the initiatives undertaken by the government aiming the establishment of a safer and more attractive environment for foreign investments in Albania. Minister Amado promised Mr. Basha on the possibility of visiting Albania in the second half of 2007.

Minister Basha reminded Mr. Amado that his visit in Portugal was held on the day of the first anniversary of the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with EU, and at a time when Portugal is preparing to chair the Presidency of this Union. Focusing on the attempts of the government for the fulfilment of the standards required for NATO and EU membership, Minister Basha ask for Portugal support to receive an invitation in the upcoming Bucharest Summit and for the intensification of the efforts for SAA ratification.

Concerning the Kosovo issue, Minister Basha informed his counterpart about the stance of the Albanian government in support of Ahtisaari package, USA and EU attempts for the settlement of Kosovo status by emphasizing that any delay would destabilize the region. Minister Basha underscored that Kosovo issue is the last unsolved problem for European security.

Minister Amado, in this context, considered the region stabilization and Kosovo status as the main issues of EU Portuguese agenda. In cooperation with other EU institutions, European Commission in particular, we will work to identify the main steps each country in the region should undertake to come closer to EU, said Mr. Amado. In this view, the SAA ratification from Portugal will be an important signal for your country.

In the meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission of Portuguese Assembly, Mr. Arnaut, the two interlocutors shared opinions on the ongoing progress of Albania and its endeavours for EU and NATO integration, the Portuguese support in this framework, as well as the importance of the intensification of the parliamentarian’s exchange of the two countries. Mr. Arnaut expressed the commitment of Portuguese Assembly for the ratification of SAA with Albania in the second half of 2007.